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Mousestar/Leader Ceremony
"Understand that this is my final act as SummerClan's medicine cat, Mousenose. While I have guided you this far, I cannot guide you once you enter StarClan's realm." Cranefeather sat calmly by the edge of the pool with his dilated eyes locked onto Mousenose's minuscule form. "When you awake, you will be our full leader, should our ancestors accept you." He was referring to the young tom's origin as a loner, and a lack of heavy believe in StarClan itself. :"I respect your retirement, Cranefeather. You broke the code intentionally, I wouldn't be surprised if your ancestors weren't pleased to see me." If they're real, that is. The dark tom could see resent reflecting in the medicine cat's eyes, but he seemed to bitterly hold his tongue rather than give his new leader a verbal lashing. Cranefeather couldn't deny that he purposefully attempted to spite his ancestors, and he may or may not have put the Clan deputy in danger. But only StarClan may judge them now. "What do I do, then?" :"Drink from the ancestral waters, and allow sleep to take you." The medicine cat coolly wrapped his tail around his neat white paws, watching his fellow companion in an almost impatient light. Albeit hesitantly, Mousenose slowly lowered his frame closer to the edge of the pool before taking a brief sip of the cool, platinum liquid. He tried to maintain his position, but found his body crashing onto the hard ground clumsily, causing the herb-user to jump. :"...Graceful." :Cranefeather's dry humor was the last thing that the deputy heard. The corner of his vision began to darken, and his body felt even heavier than before. The last thing he was able to make out was Cranefeather shifting away from the pool to rest himself away from its waters. He had no interest in speaking with his ancestors tonight. ---- :"We welcome you, Mousenose of Port City." The beauty before Mousenose took his breath away, causing him to desperately scramble to his paws before growing hot with embarrassment, fearing that he seemed to awkward before such a stunning molly. She was the color of the sun at sunset, festooned with slender mackerel stripes. Her almond-shaped eyes rested on Mousestar almost impressively. :"...You're real?" The brown tabby stared at her in awe, leaving the StarClan she-cat to narrow her eyes at snip at him. :"Do you doubt us, Mousenose?" :"...Not anymore, ma'am." Eyes round with wonder, he raised himself by stretching his legs as much as he could, yet the golden she-cat was still a hair taller. She snorted at him, as if amused by his tiny stature, before taking a confident step forward to shove her nose onto his forehead and push him back down to his normal height. "I am Sunstar, infamous leader of SummerClan. With this life, I gift you flexibility. Use it well to juggle all clan duties and remain level-headed while doing so." A strange sensation rippled through the bottom of his belly, a feeling equivalent to none other than a good morning stretch. Cranefeather made it seem as if this would be painful. :When Sunstar stepped away to be replaced by some ginger-and-white tom, Mousenose's tail drooped in disappointment. The newcomer cackled at him. "Disappointed? My name is Froststar, past leader of SpringClan. I'm keeping you away from Shelly, I've heard all about you, Mousenose." He did? Was that a...good thing? Without a moment more, Froststar stepped forward to offer his gift. "With this life, I give you diligence. Like parenthood, raising and caring for a Clan requires every ounce of energy. Use my life to pour all your dedication and time into SummerClan...even if they're not as great as SpringClan." :Following Froststar's life, Mousenose felt a sudden boost of energy levels. He could do this all day, bring it on! :"Hello, Mousenose. My name is Silverwave, I hail from SplashClan." A slender silver tabby, built for navigating the streams of her homeland, marched forward. Instead of letting Mousenose comment, she hurried into giving him his life. "Today, I give you caution. Remember that SummerClan is your responsibility now, do not be rash with the decisions you have to make in the future." With his energy and confidence suddenly vanishing, Mousenose grew a little more hesitant about what he was going to say to the starry figures. Swallowing back a flirtatious comment, he simply gave Silverwave a nod to show his thanks. :The tom who followed the SplashClan deputy seemed similar to her in a way, at least in terms of facial structure. Family, perhaps. "Hello, puny tom. My name is Stormfrost." It seemed that StarClan was built by bullies. "I apologize, only trying to set a more lax tone. All of my ancestors seem really strict, y'know?" He offered an awkwardly friendly smile before shaking it off. "Mousenose, I give you charity. In the highest times of your life, always remember the young and overlooked who look up to you while others look down upon them." :Growing light-headed, the next set of cats waited patiently while Mousenose attempted to regain himself. Fear began to prick at his pelt as he remembered the sins of his past. Had StarClan been watching then, even when he never acknowledged their existence? :"It's tiring, but I promise it's worth every moment, Mousenose." The brown tabby snapped his head in the direction of the speaking feline, looking up to see Minnowstar standing over him with a familiar smile. "Both this ceremony and leading a Clan, I mean." :"Minnowstar!" He was relieved to see a recognizable face after so long. Admittedly, all of these dead cats that were unknown to him made Mousenose feel a little intimidated, and seeing someone he knew well made him feel significantly more secure. "I have so many questions," the extroverted tom gasped desperately. "What do I do when I get to camp? Who should I pick as deputy. Anyone you'd recommend? And Cranefeather, he-" :The serene tabby stepped forward to allow her nose to gently press into her deputy's forehead. "With this life, I give you patience. In time, Mousenose, you will have all of your answers. You need only wait." His heart rate slowed, and he knew to bother Minnowstar no more. She stepped back to allow the next cat to step forward. :She was beautiful, the embodiment of raw power, a cool and confident leader of WinterClan. His jaw practically dropped at the sight of her, but the glare that she sent in his direction was all but friendly, almost a warning for him to back off. She wasn't one to be bothered by his pitiful flirtatious acts. "I am Guppystar, predecessor of Pinestar." She towered over him, standing on long legs that she had inherited from generations of hardy WinterClan leaders and warriors. She roughly bumped her nose against his skull, practically pushing him aside like he was nothing. "Loyalty seems to be something you lack, so that is my gift for you. Use it to see past your own ambitions and desires, and instead place your Clan before everything else. Your warriors are depending on you." :When Guppystar left and Mousenose began to recover, he scowled under his breath. "Guppystar? More like Grumpystar..." For a moment, he was afraid she might've heard him when a cat came trotting out of the blue, but he was relieved to realize that it was someone else. :This silver tabby, for whatever reason, his ego didn't get the best of him. She had an air that was more equivalent to an adoring grandmother. "Hello, sweetie! My name's Silverflower, I was a warrior many generations ago. Some of my descendants may still walk with you today." She was very kind, really, somewhat of a consolation from the show that Guppystar had put on. "Deary, I give you discipline. Remember that not only do you need to keep yourself in line, but the youngsters that are looking up to you as well." :She was replaced by what seemed to be another SummerClan warrior, this one a gray tabby tom. "I'm Roachheart, I died in a battle many, many moons ago." He seemed quiet, the extreme of Mousenose. "With this life, I give to you honesty. Never forget the morals that you have learned over the many years. Remember that secrets can never be kept forever, not even in the grave." :"What do you mean-" :Before Roachheart could hear Mousenose, his hackles raised and he bolted off in a flash, as if something had terrified him. The scene around the SummerClan deputy seemed to darken with fog, and hisses of vexation and mistrust echoed in his ears. What was going on? Was StarClan abandoning him? :Heavy paw steps were what he heard next, progressively growing louder and drowning out the screams of protest from the StarClan cats. Desperately the new leader whirled around to find his next and final giver, but to no avail. Until, finally, it hit him. Heavy weight crushed his chest, and pain seared his skin as sharp claws burrowed under his flesh. He squirmed like a worm, desperately trying to fight for his freedom underneath his unknown attacker. He cried out, and finally went still. :"Maggot...do you think I'd let a new leader take over my Clan without getting to meet him first, hmm?" The tom's breath was sour and hot on his cheek, but Mousenose refused to open his eyes and stare into the depths of the red tom's amber orbs. "Get up!!" The command came sharply, and immediately the brown tabby obeyed without a moment of hesitation, out of fear of being shredded. :"My name is Lionstar, king of SummerClan, ruler of the Dark Forest." The Dark Forest had no leader, but this red tom seemed to think he was just that. He began to circle Mousenose like he was weakened prey, similar to a lion mentally tormenting its victim before finally delivering the killing blow. "I know what you are, tom. I've seen your sins, watched as you gorged yourself on the flesh of your brethren." Finally, Lionstar took a step closer. "When I give you this life...I will give you acceptance. You will accept the monster that you are, you will show it to your Clan, and you will use your power to bring destruction and death to all of our enemies. You will build up SummerClan and make all others cower in its shadow. Long live Mousestar, tyrant of SummerClan." :In a fraction of a second, the red tom dove forward and wrapped his jaws around the tiny leader's neck. Mousestar felt pressure, and then all things fell into darkness, like death was embracing him. Agony burned in his neck before it consumed his entire body, but he could not move, as if he was paralyzed. Was the beginning already his end? ---- :"Wake up, Mousenose. Did they accept you? You're thrashing around as if Sunstar's beating you to a pulp." :Sucking down the air, Mousestar lurched to his paws like his life depended on it. He stood there stiffly, gagging on the air and staring at Cranefeather with eyes as round as the full moon. The medicine cat made no further comment, and instead waited for his response with an impatient twitch of his tail tip. :"I-...yes. They have named me Mousestar. It's been a long evening...let's get home, Cranefeather. SummerClan's waiting."